Chance to Shine Street

Chance to Shine Street is bringing cricket to thousands of young people in inner-city areas. It uses the game to promote social cohesion and create opportunities in diverse communities affected by anti-social behaviour and youth crime.

We feel that every child, no matter where they live, should have the opportunity to enjoy cricket. Chance to Shine Street is a counter for a lack of clubs and green spaces in inner-city areas and aims to make cricket accessible to young people throughout the country.

At sessions, young people play a fast-paced version of tape-ball cricket, using a tennis ball wrapped in electrical tape. Each innings lasts for 20 balls and games last for just 20 minutes. It needs very little cricket equipment and is ideal for inner-city venues.

“It's fun and it's healthy and I also like socialising with others and I enjoy playing cricket.” (Female Chance to Shine Street cricketer, age 11)

History

Chance to Shine Street, formerly known as StreetChance, launched in 2008 to bring cricket to children in inner-city areas in London. In 2011/12, the programme was expanded to six more cities: Birmingham, Bristol, Dewsbury, Hull Liverpool and Manchester.

It has now reached over 38,000 youngsters since 2008 and is taking cricket to new people in new areas that would otherwise miss out on the chance to play. 85% of participants since 2008 were not members of cricket clubs.

In 2012, the charity received a £1 million National Lottery grant from Sport England, which has allowed us to create sessions and run a national cricket league for 16-24 year olds.

Who does Chance to Shine Street reach?

Chance to Shine Street aims to reach those in disadvantaged areas, places which lack green space to play the sport, as well as diverse communities. Between September 2015 and 2016, 2786 young people attended 156 Street projects across the country:

• 76% of participants are from BAME backgrounds.• 85% of participants were not members of a cricket club before Street. • 85% of projects are based in the 50% most deprived areas in England (Index of Multiple Deprivation). Almost a third (31%) are based in the 10% most deprived areas and almost a quarter (23%) in the 5% most deprived areas. • 76% of projects are based in areas with below the national average green space.

Recent research with 438 participants found that Street has successfully engaged and supported young people to continue playing cricket regularly (27% were attending for over a year and 20% for over two years). Participants were overwhelmingly positive about their experience - 82% said they would recommend Street to a friend and 92% intend to continue playing cricket.

In 2016, Camden Street was voted the Project of the Year at the Chance to Shine Annual Awards. Their story shows exactly what Chance to Shine Street cricket is all about:

“I like playing cricket and it helped integrate me into the community" (Male Chance to Shine Street cricketer, 17)